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2006 Prius
2006 Prius Development of the 2006 Toyota Prius began in 1994 under Toyotas LeMan Racing division which was headed my Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata. Under his supervision, Toyota set out to make a family friendly vehicle that seats five but can take on the most challenging motorsports events in the world. Though Toyota had 3 billion dollars of debt at the time, they were persistent on development by reaching out to Porsche, BMW and Ferrari to share costs of development. Initially, BMW showed great interest in partnering with Toyota. BMW was looking to co-develop a new drag racing car with another automaker to race at Laguna Seca. This, however, fell through after BMW looked at Toyota's financial statements. After three weeks of failed negotiations, Toyota approached Porsche to gauge their interest. Porsche, knowing that Toyota's financial situation, decided to begin their partnership with Toyota. One week prior to the collaboration, Porsche lost forty Porsche 918 super cars due to a forest fire. Unable to finance their share of the project, Pirsche was forced to drop out. When a deal with both BMW and Porsche did not materialize, Italian supercar manufacturer Ferrari decided to partner with Toyota to develop the Ferrari Enzo alongside the Prius. An unnamed executive at Ferrari was quoted in saying "We have the utmost respect for Toyota. They may not have the wow of v-tech, they sure know how to make exciting family cars." Development began officially on July 4th 1994. Both companies sent their best engineers to brainstorm new ideas that could be implemented in these new race cars. Under the direction of Mr. Iwata, they began a twelve year development cycle which included what each manufacturer wanted from their super car. Though these cars share the same platform and drive train, the designs of both vehicles were reflective of each companies design language. The Ferrari Enzo was set apart with its sharp lines and wide stance to its front. The Prius settled with a more modest design with a rounded front and narrow stance. On October 31, 2005, Toyota and Ferrari in a joint press conference, unveiled both cars to the public. Both cars were received with great praise. The 2006 Toyota Prius holds the worlds fastest 0 to 60 time at 14 seconds. By having a drag coefficient of 0.1, the 2006 Toyota Prius remains the most aerodynamic automobile ever produced. Its rounded design allows the Prius to hit speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour and allows it to achieve 60 miles per gallon in the city and highway combined. After fifteen years of development, Toyota was able to compete in LaMans with the Prius. The Prius was able to upset the competition by setting a track record previously broken by a Dodge Caravan in 1995. This victory was the beginning of Toyota's fifteen year motor sports rein with a total of sixty victories. Due to their dominance, Toyota was forced to retire the Prius. All remaining Priuses were set on fire in a mass grave in New Mexico in an undisclosed location.